Saturday, February 1, 2014

Cellphone updates

I am on my last research days... I don't love it, I don't even like it, but I am really looking at Straight Talk, $45/mo unlimited plan vs staying with Verizon @ $86.98/mo. I want to stay in the Blackberry line, but I don't want to continue to pay almost $90 just because. I've known for about a year that I don't use even a quarter of what I am using. Not in minutes, not in texts, and definitely not in my ludicrous grandfathered unlimited data plan. Honestly, I don't even come close to 1GB:
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6 month data usage

ST has an older version of the Blackberry, which was my previous phone with no touch screen. I really like my current phone, but I don't use it that much to justify a $45 markup. Though ST is known for their poor customer service around forums, they seem to be my best choice because of their coverage areas compared to the other pre-paid plans--yes, it sucks to live in the middle of nowhere! I'll do some soul searching at my part time job, but chances are, this may be my last month with Verizon. Sad. I will call them and see what they can do, but I am quite sure they want me out anyway. They've been hating on those with the unlimited data plan for ages now, so I highly doubt they want to do anything for me, even if they could.

The good thing is that the extra money will be sent to my 401k. I contributed a very low 2% ($27.38/check) this past year while focusing mostly on my debt paying efforts. When I got a $35/check increase during Sept, I set up an IRA auto transfer, so that money never really made it to my budget. My FT employer does not do contribution matches, so my size of contr. would not impact what I was getting back for our profit sharing contributions, which were stellar this past year.

My plan is to increase my 401k contributions to a full 5% (about $68.45, which accounts for a $40/check savings from switching to ST). I may play with math a bit more and decide to up it to 10% just for the heck of it. Or increase the amount that goes to my IRA account from $35 to $50~$75. Decisions, decisions! Have a good weekend!

6 comments:

my son had an old Blackberry phone (it does have touch) that he didn't need anymore, so we put my T-mobile sim card in it and now I have a smart phone for the first time ever. I am still on my very cheap, pay as you go plan with T-Mobile, which only covers talk and text, but if I'm in a wi-fi area I can use data for free. I don't talk or text much, but do find it much easier for this old 50 year old to text with the keyboard, than my old dumb phone. Now it only takes me 2.5 minutes to create a text instead of 5 minutes - hahaha!

Ask Verizon about switching to a plan that would be cheaper that gives up your unlimted data. You don't value it and they do. So before you switch and in essence give it up for free - see what they will do. Don't tell them you are switching for sure - because then they know they don't have to do anything. Tell them you are looking at your options - and that since you are not currently a big data user....... Worth a try

Nope... I've tried that in the past. Sadly, they treat people with unlimited plans like beggars or worse. You get so less service through it than without it, because they really just want to force you to quit. They wont budge at all.

I agree with SAK, I'd *try* bargaining with Verizon first. Opt for a less elaborate plan, aka cheaper monthly payments, BUT you'd get to keep your phone you like and the reliable customer service. Worth a shot.

I've been with Sprint for about 8-10 years, approx $75/month on a family plan with my Dad's work discount ($150 total for two android phones with insurance). I stick with them mostly because of the unlimited data & text (both which me and Dad use A LOT).